Electroplating machine



ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Qxgnal Filed March 13, 1951 62 may] 9g Mmm 57m@ PATEN T OF FICE f maaar-H. mNNoN, or srzmernrm, omo

ELECTROPLATING MACHINE 'Application mea umn 1s, 1931, serial No'. 522,298. Renewed my 25, 1932.

This invention relates to improvements in electroplating machines such as shown in my companionapplication of even date, and relates more particularly to means ,for suspending' an electrode on the wrk carrier arm in closerelation to the work and suppl 'ng current thereto. lh some classes of plating, such as chromium plating, itis necessary to have an electrode positioned in close relation to the work l in the solution on account of the poor throwing power in the plating process. The electrode serves to distributethe current and hence the plate'over the surface of thev work,

1 and this may be an auxiliary electrode of in# soluble material, the metal for the plating being supplied lby soluble bars stationarily suspended in the tank. 7

Therefore among -the objects of this in- 20. vention are to rovide a work carrier means vhaving relative y insulated portions for car# ingthe work and he. electrode along toj gether through the anks in closely spaced relation; to provide such a device in which the work iseasily handled in attaching or detaching the work from the carrier; and tov provide a simple 'arrangement for automatically connecting the current to the insulated portions of the carrier at the time when the ,workl is lowered into the plating tank.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following descriptiomwwith vreference .to the accompanying drawing, in -which'an illustrative embodimentof my invention isshown.

Fig. 1 is a fragmental cross section of the plating machine in which parts,such as the conveying mechanism, correspond to the mechanism whichis more fully shown and .described in said application, the same reference characters'being used for the same parts. Fig.-2 is a plan view ofthe. carrier arm. .Fi 3 `is a front elevation of parts shown in F1g.'1, with the carrier arm 1n section.

end of the carrier arni.

' .at the side f the plating ank B is munt-' 'ed a longitudinally extending channel frame member 13, Vsupported by vertical y(':olumns 11. On the top flange of the'rame member `when the arm is lin the lowered position, as

is secured -an angle member 34, which has one leg portion depending in spaced relation from the web of the channel member. In this space is laterally guided a chain belt comprising the rollers 25, and at intervals on the lower side ofthe chain are attached the projecting plates 35 to which the brackets 36 are secured. A short angle member is moved horizontally along on the side of the frame by the chain belt which is continuously driven, as described in said application. i i

Each bracket has two spaced lugs 37 in which is pivotally mounted, for vertical movement with respect to the bracket, the arm member 48which has a depending portion 49, and an outwardly projecting portion -50. On the lower end of the Iarm portion 49 is mounted a supporting roller 56, which travels on the cam track 57, mounted olf the side of the frame and at the ends of the tanks arcuate cam pro 'ections 58 are provided in the track f'or railing and lowering the arm to carry the work'over the end of the tank. The arm is electrically insulat. ed from the bracket and the roller 56 is insulatingly mounted on the arm, to'protect the frame lfrom the plating current, and a cur-v rent carrying connection is made to the arm shown in Fig. '1, by means of a bu`s bar 66 which extends along the lower por/tion of the frame and is'yieldably mounted thereon, the

-vlus bar being slidably contapted by the integral portion 67 ,of the arm. U f Fig. 4 isa front elevation-of the' outer To the arm portion 50 is riveted an extenj` sion for bar 90, which extends out over the tank and" is providedwith a hook 91 at the outerend forengagementqof the hook 92 of the y"work supportrack bar 93. Thus when the arm isr'lowered into the tank, the work r94,

suspended on the rack, is directly connected electrically, to the bus bar 66.

On .one side of the outer portion of the arm extension member 90 is insulating-'ly mounted a bar 95 which conforms substantially to said member and forms a portion of the arm as a whole. The bar 95 has a downwardly projecting portion 96 on the upper end, and at the outer end the bar 95 has a hook 97 formed therein for engagementf of the hook 98 of. the electrode supporting bar 99 which is rigidly attached to the work rack bar 93, and insulated therefrom.

The piece of work`94 is hung in front of the bar 99 on the projections 100 and 1101 of the bracket 102 which i s mounted on the rear side of the bar 93; and the rectangular frame lelectrode 104 is mounted on the bar 99 so that it is in spaced relation with the work and the current flowing between the work and the electrode is thereby distributed. On the downwardly projecting portion-` 96 of the insulated bar 95 is mounted a brush holder 105, which holds a plurality of exible copper plates 106 for contacting with the bus bar 107. For convenience the bar 107 may be mounted on the rod 65 which is commonly mounted at and extends along one side of the tank for supporting thesoluble anodes 108 and sup- .pl ing current thereto. l

n the plating operations the bar 65 is 4usually connected to the positive side of the electrical source, and the bus bar l66 to the Y tank, a work carrier arm extending over the negative side so that the current will flow from the soluble electrodes 108, from which the plating metal is taken, through the solution to the work where the metal is deposited. The current then flows from the Work, back through the carrier arm to the negative side of the source. In this arrangement the frame 104iv serves as an auxiliary positive'electrode .for supplying current to the work, taking j bar 107 to the positive side of the source and metal directly out of thesolution which is saturated with metal taken from the bars 108. In some operations it, is desirable to reverse the flow of the current, and this may be readily accomplished by connecting the the bar 66 to the negative side;

In this vinvention a simple construction and arrangement of parts is provided for ob taining the double contact, at the end of the carrier arm.r The electrode 'can bepermanently attached to the work rack so thatit can be hung on the arm-at the same time and is maintained in ixed relation with the I work as the work is carried .through the tanks.

The bus bars for cari-yin the heavypluating current are well rotectl in vevery respect, and a firm sliding contact is automatically made tothe bars without the provision of extra parts or special movements of the mechanism. f J

While I have illustrated and described but one illustrative embodiment of my invention,

many altelfations and omissions may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the following claims:

1. In an electroplating machine, a. plating tank, a Work carrier arm extending over the tank, the arm being moved horizontally along the tank and pivotally supported to swing vertically, means for swinging the arm up Y as it is moved over the ends of the tank, the work being suspended on the end of the arm, a bar insulatingly mounted on the outer end of thev arm for supporting an electrode in close relation to the work, and a current ing an electrode in close relation with the,

Work, and two bus bars extending along the tank for supplying the plating current, one bar being contacted by the arm in lowered position and the otherV bar being contacted by the bar. v

3. In an electroplating machine, a plating tank, a bracket movedhorizontally along the tank, an arm extendin lover the tank pivotally mounted on the racket to swing up yand down, means for raising the arm at the ends of the tank, a bar insulatingly mounted on the outer portion of the arm, the arm and the bar havin hooks at their ends, the work being suspen ed from one hook and 'an electrode from the other hook, and two current carrying bus -bars of relatively opposite polarityextendingalong the tank, one bus bar beng contacted by the arm in lowered position and the other bus bar being contacted by the bar.

4. In an electroplating machine, a plating' tank having an electrode supporting rod extending along one.` side thereof, a frame mounted at one side of the tank, a bracket slidably supported on one side of the frame, means for moving the bracket along the frane, a carrier arm pivoted-to the bracket and extending over the tankfmeans for swinging the arm up at the ends of the tank, a bar insulatlngly mounted on the side of the outer portion of the arm, the arm and the bar each having a hook at the outer end respectively for supporting the work and 'an electrode in close relation with the work,'a current carrying bus bar mounted on the side of the frame and contacted by the arm in bar connected to said electrode supporting rod and contacted by the bar, said bus bars being of opposite polarityu 5. n an electroplating machine, a tank, a frame extending along the side of the tank, a bracket slidably gulded and supported on the sideof the frame, means for moving the bracket along the frame, an insulated work support arm pivoted to the bracket and overhanging the tank, means for raising and lowering the arm for carrying the work into and out of the tank, a bar for supporting an electrode, said bar being mounted on the side of said arm and insulated therefrom, and a. bus bar extending along the tank for contacting with said arms in lowered position to supply current thereto for plating the work.

6. In an electroplating machine, a plating tank, a frame mounted at lone side of the tank, a conveyor chain extending along the side of the frame and guided laterally thereon, a bracket firmly attached to the chain, an

insulated arm for supporting the work pivoted to the bracket and extending over the tank, a cam track for slidably supporting the arm mounted on the frame and having projecting portions for raising and lowering the arm as the arm is carried over the end of the tank, a bus bar mounted on the frame and slidably contacting with the arm in lowered position, a bar insulatingly mounted on the outer portion of said arm, for supporting an electrode in close relation to the work, and a bus bar extending along the tank which is slidably contacted by said insulated bar when the arm is lowered, said bus bars being connected to the opposite polarities of an electrical source.

7. n an electroplating machine, a tank, a frame extending along the side of the tank, a bracket slidably guided and supported on the side of the frame, means for moving the bracket along the frame, an insulating work support arm pivoted to the bracket and overhanging the tank, means for raisin and lowering the arm for carrying the wor into and out of the tank, an arm mounted on the side of said arm and insulated therefrom, and bus bars mounted on the frame ofthe tank for contacting with said arms in lowered position to supply current thereto for plating the work.

this 4th day Signed at Springfield, Ohio, of February, 1931.

ALBERT H. HANNON. 

